Changeable eyes and sound actuating device for dolls and other figures



July 16, 1940. MMBAUM 2,208,219

CHANGEABLE EYES AND SOUND ACTUA'I'ING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIGURESFiled Aug. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 \08 HI us I 6 I I0 I OO Ice-E I I0198 L- |o f PUP. l6

HO I5 I 2?. a0 9 Zinncntor Jana/v Malawi/ attorney July 16; 1940.MAIBAUM 2,208,219

CHANGEABLE EYES AND SOUND ACTUA'I'ING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIGURESFiled Aug. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H HS Jrwentor 3L Jena/-15 MHIAHUM BEj 9 Z attorney July 16, 1940. J, B M v 2,208,219

CHANGEABLE EYES AND SOUND ACTUATING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIGURESFiled Aug. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 3nnentor 4 Jane/-15 MqusH v.

(Ittorneg July 16, 1940. MMBAUM 2,208,219

CHANGEABLE EYES AND SOUND ACTUATING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIGURESFiled Aug. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3a 45 4-2 82 A6 5E 55 as y 70 :2 soI 7T W T! Fl q' 51 l'nwentor JEROMa Mn/anu/v,

8g j u (Ittorneg Patented July 16, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CHAN GEABLE EYESAND SOUND ACTUATING DEVICE FOR DOLLS AND OTHER FIG- URE S Jerome.Maibaum, New York, N. Y.

Application August 9, 1937, Serial No. 158,086

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to dolls and other figures and, moreparticularly, to changeable eyes for such figures and also to meansassociated with such figures for producing sound effects.

One object of the invention is to provide improved means for mountingthe changeable eyes and the operating mechanism therefor in the head ofa doll or other figure.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for movingthe eyes and for operating the eye-moving mechanism.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for movingthe eyes to change the appearance thereof and "for simultaneouslyactuating the sound device.

Another object is to provide means accessible externally of the figure,but normally concealed from view, for operating the eye-changingmechanism and the sound actuating device.

Another object is'the provision of an eye mechanism including a shaft onwhich the eyes are mounted and a mechanism for moving the shaft to movethe eyes in relation to the eye openings and for automatically holdingsaid eyes in adjusted position.

A further object is to provide for mounting the eye mechanism and sounddevice as a unit in the head of the figure.

Another object of the invention is to provide for supporting the eyemechanism in the, head of the figure in such manner that clearancebetween the eyes and eye openings is automatically provided duringthemovement of the eyes in relation to the eye openings.

A further object is the provision of a spring support for the eyemechanism arranged to normally position the eyes in proper relation tothe eye openings and to permit the provision of clearance between theeyes and eye openings during movement of the eyes.

Another object is the provision of a doll or other figure having a sounddevice mounted in the head of the figure and operable manually by meansdisposed externally of the figure.

A further object is the provision in the head.

of a doll or other figure of disks or pads of selfhealing material, suchas cork, sponge-rubber, etc., for engagement by parts of an eye-mountingdevice whereby said mounting and the eyes carried thereby may beinserted as a unit within the doll head through the neck thereof andautomatically secured in position and supported within the head of thedoll by engagement of said mounting parts with said disks.

The above objects of the invention and other objects ancillary theretowill be fully understood from the following description considered withreference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the presentspecification.

In the drawings: .15

Fig. l is a perspective view of a doll figure embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the doll head and of the upperpart of the body on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; '10

Fig. 3 is a rear view in elevation of the eye mechanism and sound deviceunit mounted in position; i

Fig. 3a is a detail sectional view on the line 3u,-3a of Fig. 3; 15

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the iiolwer portion of themounting illustrated in;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on a larger scaleon the line 5--5 of Fig. 3;5.0

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Figs. '7 and 8 are sectional views on the lines and 8-8, respectively ofFig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 of 25 Fig. 8; i

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevational View on the line Ill-40 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of the inner side of the front of the dollhead, showing in elevation another form of mounting for the eyemechanism and sound device unit;

Fig. 12 is a sectional View on the line l2-l2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail of the mountingdevice shown in. Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a side view of the tubular mounting member and of a tool usedin inserting the same in the head.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows theinvention embodied in a doll figure H], but it will be understood thatthis is merely illustrative and not limitative as the invention may beused with other figures. Said figure ID has a head and a body I2 and Hi,respectively, which are hollow and preferably composed of the materialusually employed for the purpose so that both said head and body arerigid or substantially non-deformable, although it will be apparent asthe description proceeds that with respect to certain features of theinvention the figure, especially the body thereof, may be made of anysuitable material, whether rigid or flexible. The head of the doll hasthe usual neck opening l5 and is provided with a 55 wig l6 and the bodyof the doll is covered by a dress l8. Means 20, comprising a cord,chain, wire or other length of suitable flexible material, which isnormally concealed by the dress, but which is accessible externally ofthe figure of the doll is provided for manually operating the eyemechanism and also a sound device, if desired, as will hereinafter morefully appear. Said cord extends through an aperture 22 in the back ofthe upper part of the body adjacent the connection with the head (Fig.2), although, if desired, said aperture may be located in the lowerpartof the back of the head.-

The eye set comprises changeable eyes here shown as constituted by apair of eyeballs 24 disposed adjacent the eye openings 26 and providedon the surfaces thereof with delineations of a plurality of irises orparts of irises 28 whereby wide variations in the appearance of the eyesmay be obtained. Said eyeballs may also have eyelashes 30 mixed theretoor painted thereon. Changeable eyes of this type are disclosed in myapplication. Serial No. 102,101, filed September 23, 1936. Eyeballs 24are mounted on a rock shaft 32 for turning movement therewith. Saidshaft is journalled in a bracket 34 which together with a strip or plate36 preferably of sheet spring-metal constitutes the mounting for the eyeoperating mechanism and also if desired for a sound device 38. Said eyeset and mounting unit is constructed and arranged for insertion throughthe neck opening I of head l4.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 3a, eye balls 24 comprise solid spheres 25 ofwood or other suitable material each having a sectional shell ofCelluloid or other suitable material on which the irises are depicted.Said shell, as here shown is made in two parts 2'! and 29 which areinserted over spheres 25 and then secured together. Shaft 32 projectsthrough openings 3! and is provided with projections 33 which bite intospheres 25 when the latter are assembled on said shaft, thereby fixingsaid eyeballs to the shaft for rotation therewith. Said eyeballs may beadjusted longitudinally of the shaft by tapping on the eyeballs to movethem in the desired longitudinal direction.

Bracket 34 comprises a U-shaped member of sheet metal and includes,preferably in integral relation, an end wall 40 and spaced side walls 42Said side walls areprovided with top openings 44 for the insertion ofshaft 32 and the mechanism carried thereby in the bracket and areprovided with bendable tongues 46 for holding the shaft in place afterthe latter is inserted, it being understood that said tongues areinitially disposed substantially at right angles to walls 42 to permitthe insertion of said shaft and with said tongues are bent substantiallyinto the planes of said walls respectively, as illustrated in Fig. 5,after the shaft and the mechanism carried thereby are inserted in thebracket. A plurality of spaced nibs or projections 48 are formed on theinner surfaces of side walls 42 adjacent end wall 40 and form togetherwith said end wall means for securing said bracket to mounting strip 36in adjustable relation. For this purpose said nibs 48 are spaced fromthe inner surface of end wall 40 so that the opposite surfaces of stripwere in sliding engagement with said projections and end Wall forholding the bracket in adjusted position upon said strip.

The mechanism for turning shaft 32 in bracket 34 comprises a lever 50pivotally mounted on shaft 32, a disk 52 fixed to said shaft, a memberbracket end wall 68.

54 releasably connecting lever 50 to disk 52 for movement of the latterby the former, a spring 56 which opposes movement of said lever, and adetent 58 which engages spaced shoulders 60 formed on the periphery ofdisk 52 for preventing rotary movement of said disk in one directionthereby to releasably hold said disk in adjusted position. Detent 58 hasa portion 62 which is received between the cut-away upper edge portions64 of side walls 42 and an overlying portion 66 of Said end wall 68 issecured to the ends of side walls 42 by tongues which are integral withand project from the edges of said end walls and extend through openings14 in end wall 68 and bent thereover, for securing said end wall inposition.

Disk 52 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spacedopenings 16 in the side thereof. Connecting member 54 has bent sideportions 18 which engage opposite side edges of lever 50 so that saidmember is movable with said lever. The ends 80 of member 54 are refiexedproviding fingers or'projections adapted to extend into diametricallydisposed disk openings 16 thereby releasably connecting lever 50 to saiddisk so that movement of said lever in one direction, that is, in aclockwise direction in Fig. 8, causes disk 52 to move into the samedirection for turning shaft 32 and thereby moving eyes '24 in relationto eye openings 26 to change the appearance of the eyes. Disk 52 isfixed longitudinally of shaft 32 and is provided with a collar 82 whichspaces said disk in relation to the adjacent side wall 42 of bracket 34.Lever 50 and connecting member 54 are mounted for movementlongitudinally of shaft 32 and are resiliently held against the adjacentside of disk 52 by the axial coiled portion of spring 56 whereby theends of connecting member 54 are projected into disk openings 16 forturning of the disk. One end 84 of spring 56 engages one of the bracketwalls and the other end 86 of said spring engages lever 50 in a recess88. Cord 20 is attached to the upper end of lever 50. Thus, by pullingon said cord, lever 50 is turned in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) untilsaid lever engages upper portion 66 of end wall 68, the recess 88 insaid lever being provided to increase the distance through which thelever may be moved. When the lever is thus actuated, shaft 32 is turneda predetermined amount thereby moving eyeballs 24 in relation to eyeopenings 25 to bring predetermined surface portions of said eyeballsinto view through said openings. Upon release of cord 20, spring 56operates to return lever 50 to its initial position, the return movementof disk 52 being prevented by the engagement of detent 58 with anadjacent shouldered portion 60, it being understood that upon each.movement of disk 52 by lever 50 the shouldered disk portions 60 arebrought successively into position adjacent the end of detent 58 forengagement of said detent with one of said shoulders so as to preventany reverse movement of said disk. The reverse movement of lever 50 islimited by stop member 90 here shown as integral with said lever inposition to engage strip 36, the design and arrangement of parts beingsuch that when lever 50 is returned by spring 56 to its initialposition, the ends 80 of connecting member 54 engage in pair of diskopenings 16.

In accordance with the present invention provision is made for actuatingsound device 38 when lever 50 is operated to move eyes 24. Accordingly,as here shown, a forked lever 92 is connected at one end thereof to end94 of lever 50 and .said lever is connected at its spaced ends 96 to themovable wall 98 of said sound device. Said spaced ends 96 of lever 92are provided with slots III!) which engage pins I02 on wall 98' so thatsaid lever ends may movein relation to said pins during the arcuatemovement of said lever. As here shown, sound device 38 is mounted onstrip 36 which is provided for this purpose with a widened portion I M.Sound device 38 is connected to portion IM by metal tongues I 06integral with or connected to the adjacent wall portion of said sounddevice and extended through openings in strip portion I04 and bent overas illustrated to secure said sound device in position.

Theeye set. including the actuating mechanism therefor and sound deviceand the mounting therefor can be inserted as a unit through the neckopening I5 of the doll and adjustably secured in position in the head ofthefigure. For this purpose, the head of the doll is provided with upperand lower projecting portions I38 and III] disposed on the inner surfaceof the front of the head centrally thereof and each of said portions isprovided with a cotter pin IE2 fixed thereto preferably by embedding thehead of said pin in the material of said portions. The ends of strip 33are provided with a slot IM and a hole II 6, respectively, for receivingthe shanks of said pins. It will be understood that the eye set andsound device carried by the mounting constituted by strip 36 and bracket34 may be inserted as a unit through the neck opening of the head of thefigure and then secured in proper position by engaging the upperbifurcated portion N5 of strip 36 with the shank of upper pin I I2 andsubsequently fixing securing end II! in position by engagement of lowercotter pin II2 through hole H6 and by spreading the parts of said lowercotter pin.

Instead of bracket 3t being adjustable on strip 36, said bracket may beformed integral with or otherwise fixed thereto, and adjustment may beprovided as illustrated in Fig. l. As here shown, the lower end of strip33 has bent side edge portions IIIt terminating in toothed edges I forengagement by an adjustable member I22 which overlies slot H9 and isprovided with an opening I24; through which the shank of one of saidpins H2 projects, the separable members of said pin shank being spreadand engaged with the outer surface of member I22 for securing the latterin engagement with edges I20 of strip 36. In other respects strip 35 isthe same as hereinbefore described. In both forms, said strip isinitially bowed somewhat toward. the rear of the doll head so that thefastening of the ends of said strip in position flattens the strip andeffects a secure engagement of the ends of the strip, and by reason ofthe slot and pin connection at its upper end said strip yieldssufiiciently in response to the pull on the cord for rotating the eyesto provide clearance between the eye balls and their sockets during therotation of the eyes.

It will be understood that in the mounting hereinbefore' shown anddescribed, clearance between the eyes 24 and their eye openings duringmovement of said eyes is provided due to the resiliency of strip 36which permits a slight movement of said strip toward the back of thehead of the figure when lever 50 is operated by pulling on cord 2i, toturn shaft 32.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs.

11 to 13, the bracket 34 instead of being mounted tubularmemb'er I26by-means. of plate 36a. For this purpose, plate 36a has spaced upperportions I2! curved about member I26 for pivotally suspending saidplate. and bracket 34 carried thereby from said member I26. Said tubularmember has relatively movable tubular end portions I 28, spring pressedoutwardly by springs I30 and provided with pointed ends I32. Said endsengage disks or pads I34 secured to opposed inner wall portions of thedoll head I ia above the eye openings. Said disks are composed ofreadily penetrable and. preferably self-healing material, such as corkor sponge-rubber, which can be readily penetrated automatically by thesharpened ends I32 of members I28 when the latter are spring pressedoutwardly of member I26. The inner ends of springs I30 bear respectivelyon opposite sides of a securing memher I 36 which passes through tubularmember I transversely thereof midway between its ends and on the innerflattened ends of members I28. One end. I38 of member I36 is receivedwithin a pre-formed opening I38 in the head Ida. The other end I40 ofsaid member is reflexed to provide a slot I42 in which a refiexed upperportion IM of supporting plate 33a is received for limiting pivotalmovement of said plate and bracket 36 carried thereby. Member I36 isfixedly secured to tubular member I26 as a unit therewith. In this formof the invention, when lever 50 is moved to operate shaft 32, bracket 34is moved toward the rear of the doll head thereby providing clearancebetween the eyeballs 24 and the eye openings during the rotation orpartial rotation of said eyeballs. It will be understood that as in thefirst described form of the invention the eye set and mounting thereformay be inserted as a unit through the neck opening of the doll head andmay be readily secured in position by the engagement of the sharpenedends I32 of movable end portions I28 with pads I34.

A tool I50 is utilized for facilitating the mounting of the unit in thehead. As illustrated in Fig. 14, said tool is U shaped and the legs I52thereof are engaged with ends I32 of members I38, in openings I54 insaid ends, whereby to hold said members inwardly against the force ofsprings I30. When the mounting is in proper position, the tool isremoved allowing the springs I to force pointed ends I32 into engagementwith pads I 34.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodiedotherwise than as here shown or described and that in the constructionsspecifically disclosed herein certain changes and omissions may be made.Therefore, I do not wish to be limited precisely to the presentdisclosure except as may be required by the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure having eyeopenings and a neck openings, an eye set and mounting unit inserta-- blethrough said neck opening of the head, said unit comprising a rock shaftand a pair of eyes carried thereby for movement in relation to said eyeopenings for changing the appearance of said eyes, means associated withsaid shaft for turning the latter, and separable interengaging means onsaid unit and on the interior of said head for securing said unit inposition in said head, said shaft and the eyes carried thereby beingmounted for limited movement away from said eye openings during theturning of said shaft.

2. In combination with the head ofa doll or other figure having eyeopenings and a neck opening, an eye set and mounting unit insertablethrough said neck opening of the head, pads of readily penetrablematerial secured to the inner surfaces of said head at spaced points,and a support for said unit comprising a fixed member and spring pressedmovable members, said unit being pivotally mounted on said fixed memberand suspended therefrom for movement of the eyes toward and away fromsaid eye openings, and said spring pressed members being engageable withsaid pads for securing said support and the unit in position in saidhead.

3. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure having eyeopenings and a neck opening, an eye set and mounting unit insertablethrough said neck opening of the head, pads of readily penetrablematerial secured to the inner surfaces of said headat spaced points, anda support for said unit comprising a fixed member and spring pressedmovable members, said unit being pivotally mounted on said fixed memberand suspended therefrom for movement of the eyes toward and away fromsaid eye openings, said spring pressed members being engageable withsaid pads for securing said support and the unit in position in saidhead, and means on said fixed member and said unit for limiting themovement of said eyes away from their openings.

4. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure, said headhaving eye openings, a shaft mounted for rotation in said head andcarrying a pair of eyes in position adjacent said openings for movementin relation thereto, means for supporting said shaft in said head, asound device mountedin said head, said sound device carried by saidsupporting means and insertable therewith as a unit into said head,means for actuating said sound device, means carried by said shaft forturning the latter to move said eyes and for simultaneously operatingsaid means for actuating the sound device, and means accessibleexternally of said head for actuating said shaft turning means.

5. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure, said headhaving eye openings, a shaft mounted for rotation in said head andcarrying a pair of eyes in position adjacent said openings for movementin relation thereto, said shaft and the eyes carried thereby beingmounted for limited movement away from said eye openings when the shaftis being turned, a level pivotally mounted on said shaft, a member fixedto said shaft, means for releasably coupling said lever to said memberto turn the shaft in one direction, and means connected to said leverand accessible externally of the head below the latter for actuatingsaid lever to turn the shaft, said last mentioned means being positionedfor concealment by the dress of the figure.

6. in combination with the head of a doll or other figure, said headhaving eye openings, a shaft mounted for rotation in said head andcarrying a pair of eyes in position adjacent said openings for movementin relation thereto, a lever pivotally mounted on said shaft, a memberfixed to said shaft, means for releasably coupling said lever to saidmember to turn the shaft in one direction, means connected to said leverand accessible externally of the head for actuating said lever to turnthe shaft, spring means for returning said lever to initial positionfollowing each actuation thereof, and means for preventing reversemovement of said shaft during the return movement of said lever.

7. An eye set and mounting unit for the head of a doll or other figure,comprising a bracket having an end wall and spaced side walls, a supportfor said bracket engaged by said end of the latter, means on saidsupport for securing the latter in the head of the figure, a shaftjournalled for rotation in said side walls of the bracket, eyes carriedby said shaft, means mounted on said shaft for rotating the latter, andmeans carried by the ends of said side walls remote from said bracketend wall releasably engageable with a part of said shaft rotating meansfor releasably holding said shaft and the eyes carried thereby inadjusted position.

8. An eye set and mounting unit for the head of a doll or other figure,comprising a bracket having an end wall and spaced side walls, a supportfor said bracket engaged by said end of the latter, means on saidsupport for securing the latter in the head of the figure, a shaftjournalled for rotation in said side walls of the bracket, eyes carriedby said shaft, means mounted on said shaft for rotating the latter,means carried by the ends of said side walls remote from said bracketend wall releasably engageable with a part of said shaft rotating meansfor releasably holding said shaft and the eyes carried thereby inadjusted position, a sound device carried by said bracket support andinsertable therewith as a unit into the head of the doll together withsaid bracket and the parts carried by the latter, and means operableunder the control of a part of said shaft rotating means for actuatingsaid sound device.

9. An eye set and mounting unit for the head of a doll or other figure,comprising a bracket having an end wall and spaced side walls, a supportfor said bracket comprising a spring metal strip, said bracket end wallhaving a slidable engagement with said strip longitudinally of thelatter for relative adjustment of the bracket and said strip, a shaftmounted for rotation in said bracket, eyes carried by said shaft andmovable therewith, and means for rotating said shaft.

10. An eye set and mounting unit for the head of a doll or other figure,comprising a bracket having an end wall and spaced side walls, a supportfor said bracket comprising a spring metal strip, said bracket end wallhaving a slidable engagement with said strip for relative adjustment ofthe bracket and said strip, a shaft mounted for rotation in saidbracket, eyes carried by said shaft and movable therewith, means carriedby said shaft for rotating the latter, a sound device carried by saidstrip, and insertable therewith as a unit into the doll head togetherwith said brackets and the parts carried thereby and means operableunder the control of a part of said shaft rotating means for actuatingsaid sound device.

11. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure having eyeopenings and a neck opening, an eye set and mounting unit insertablethrough said neck opening of the head, said unit comprising a rock shaftand a pair of eyes carried thereby for movement in relation to said eyeopenings for changing the appearance of said eyes, means associated withsaid shaft for turning the latter, members embedded in the material ofsaid head and projecting from the inner surface thereof, and slottedmeans included in said unit engageable with said members for securingsaid unit in position in said head, said slotted means comprising aspring strip for resiliently holding said eyes adjacent said eyeopenings, said shaft turning means including a member operable to flexsaid strip in a direction to move said eyes away from said openingsduring the turning of said shaft for changing the ap pearance of saideyes.

12. In combination with the head of a doll or other figure having eyeopenings and a neck opening, an eye set and mounting unit insertablethrough said neck opening of the head, said unit comprising a rock shaftand a pair of eyes carried thereby for movement in relation to said eyeopening for changing the appearance of said eyes, releasable connectingmeans associated withsaid shaft for turning the latter, said mountingunit comprising a spring strip for resiliently holding said eyesadjacent said eye openings, and separable interengaging means on saidstrip and on the interior of said head for securing said unit inposition in said head. i

13. In combination with the head of a doll or ing unit comprising aspring strip for resiliently holding said eyes adjacent said eyeopenings, and separable interengaging means on said strip and on theinterior of said head for securing said unit in position in said head,said shaft turning means including a member operable to fiex said stripin a direction to move said eyes away from said openings during theturning of said shaft for changing the appearance of said eyes, andseparable interengaging means on said strip and on the interior of saidhead for securing said unit in position in said head.

JEROME MAIBA'UM.

